The Trump administration is weighing strong military action against Mexican cartels and meeting pushback from the Mexican government.

After this article was originally published, Sheinbaum addressed it and the question of U.S. drone strikes at a news conference.

“We reject any form of intervention or interference. That’s been very clear, Mexico coordinates and collaborates, but does not subordinate itself. There is no interference, nor will there be,” she said, according to a translation provided by the Mexican Embassy to the United States.

“While this idea hasn’t been formally proposed, we’ve made it clear that it wouldn’t address the root of the issue. What truly works is ongoing attention to root causes, arrests driven by intelligence and investigation, coordination, and zero tolerance for impunity. We categorically reject any such actions, and we don’t believe they will happen. There is a strong, ongoing dialogue on security and many other matters.”

What are those root causes?

Mexico is a failed state.

Some people like drugs.

How are we supposed to address those? I know Sheinbaum’s response is to give everyone more money.

Mexico is too corrupt and unstable to bring the cartels under control. It wants to pretend it’s a functional state but its military has to get into heavy gun battles with the cartels that it sometimes loses.

Mexico in the past has been all too happy to solicit American military help for dealing with its various internal struggles. But this one very directly affects Americans.